Options for Shipping Your Pallets

January 3, 2017 by Cameron P. Walker

Now more than ever, shipping pallets needs to be quick and reliable. That reliable shipping needs to be quick enough that you can compete with clients all over the world. In the past, you only had to compete against brick and mortar stores in your area. For example, if you were selling trainers in Belfast, you would have to compete with other people selling trainers in Belfast. You might compete with someone selling trainers in Scotland if they shipped catalogues over into Ireland. Now, the reality is you have to compete with businesses all over the world. If you’re in Belfast selling trainers, you have to compete with people selling trainers in Berlin, Beijing, and the Bahamas. You need to ship your pallets as quickly as possible while also keeping your prices low. Here are the shipping methods and how they stack up.

The Most Affordable

The slowest method is shipping is also the most affordable. If you are shipping something that has no real time frame or if you have a standing order, then you should consider sea freight. Sea freight takes days or even weeks, depending on where it is going. Furthermore, it is slightly less reliable than more expensive methods. If the weather turns foul, your shipment could be delayed. This is not a problem if your order does not need to be timely. For example, if you have a recurring order with your clients, you can usually rely on sea pallet delivery in the Netherlands. You can schedule the delivery to recur and that will reduce the pressing matter of time.

The Compromise

Road freight is the compromise position. Depending on where you are shipping your items, road freight is almost always a part of the shipment process because many different areas are not accessible by sea or air. Many items will land at seaports or airports and then be driven to their ultimate destination. If it is possible to ship something completely over the road, you will reach a middle ground between sea and air freight. It is faster than sea freight but not as fast as air freight. If you are trying to balance speed and money, you should consider road freight.

The Fastest

Shipping by air is the fastest way to get your items to their destination reliably. An airplane travels much faster than a boat or a truck. It is somewhat beholden to the weather in a way that a truck or a ship might not be. The wind, lightning, and cloud cover can make flying and landing impossible. Ice on the runway is another common danger. Other than these weather problems, air freight is almost always on time. However, since you have to pay for the very limited space and the weight of your shipment affects the flight, your shipping costs will be higher. Flying is the fastest way to freight your items and the most reliable, but also the most expensive.

If you’re freighting your goods, you should weigh your options and then choose the option that fits your timeframe and your budget.